I found this interesting article about S.A.W. veterans . Any ideas from our members on why this was done?
(Archivist Nancy Wilson jokes that everything coming through her door at the Elmhurst Historical Museum is a mystery. But the riddle that came from a friend's phone call around Memorial Day last year has proven as stubborn as it is intriguing.

About 140 Spanish-American War veterans from all over the United States are buried beneath worn and chipped limestone markers in two uniform sections of an Elmhurst cemetery. After a year of exhaustive research, Wilson has been unable to determine how the vets got there. )
   The entire article can be viewed by googling "Chicago Tribune, cemetary holds mystery of history" I thought they may have died at a Chicago area hospital?  Any other theorys?

Was there a Veteran's Home, T.B. Sanitarium, or V.A.Hospital in the area, at one time?

Dates of Death, Vital Records on names (Illinois Death Certificates), and Census Data (from 1920's, 1930's, and 1940) might be clues.

Some of the names from the article.

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When I looked at a list (under construction) of Spanish American War Veteran Burials, I only found two names for Elmhurst Cemetery, both men were in the 3rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

(I don't know, if they are in the Cemetery Section in Question, but, I found further information for the two men on a roster list for the 3rd Ill. Vol. Inf.):

John W. Watling, Pvt. Co. "C" (residence in 1898 - Wen Lenox, Ill.,
buried - Elmhurst Cemetery, Joliet, Will Co., Illinois).

William Henry Malcolm, Cpl., 3rd Ill. Vol. Inf., Co. "M" (residence in 1898 - Kankakee, Ill. - July 22, 1872 / March 29, 1932 - buried - Elmhurst Cemetery, Joliet, Will Co., Illinois).

BTW - One of the men Culpeper found was also on the 3rd Ill. roster:

Jacob M. Muszynski, Pvt. Co. "A" (residence in 1898 - Chicago, Ill.).

It appears "Knute" found the answer with the Newspaper story: explaining the "United Spanish War Veterans - William McKinley Camp #6 - Chicago" likely purchasing a section in the Arlington Cemetery, for the burial of 'post' members.

I suppose any SAW Veterans, living around Chicago, in later life, would be eligible to join USWV - "Camp #6". This would explain different States and units being buried at this site.

FWIW - A brief 3rd. Illinois Vol. Inf. History:

Well, I spent a bit of time chasing my tail, not realizing I was looking in the wrong cemetery!

"Arlington Cemetery", (where the graves in question are located), is in DuPage Co., Elmhurst, Illinois.

"Elmhurst Cemetery" (where I happened to find a couple of SAW veterans), is in Will Co., Joliet, Illinois.

Silly me .... miles apart and unrelated burials!

I know more now.

King carp wrote on Jan 4^th, 2020 at 9:37pm:


You could call them back and get a list of the vets and their information and post here.  Just sayin'.



Added:  ...if a list is available.

I will try calling up Monday when the curator is in. I will see what I can find out.

The Edward Hines VA Hospital is not very far away.  Been in operation since 1921.  I suspect some of the vets' bodies came from there. 

I read the Illinois roster with interest.  1st Infantry took all the casualties, had the most deaths.  2nd Inf had quite a few desertions & dishonorable discharges.

What amazed me is that I recognized 3 names & could put faces with 2 of them. 

My grandfather was a machinist and worked for Fred Koehler, CO of Company I, at the Koehler Die Works about 1912-1916. 

Sgt, John A Goodison, Troop A, 1st Cav. lived with his brother, next door to my grandparents.  He was pretty unbalanced, in & out of the state mental hospital.  His brother was his keeper. My Dad drove him to Hines VA hospital in 1947.  That was the last we saw of him.

Sgt. John C Phelan, Troop C, 1st Cav, lived in the same small quad-apartment building as my family, just downstairs from us.  His wife taught me to read.